Chapter 15
Xanatos paced back and forth next to the open window in his quarters not quite sure what else he should do. He had contacted Coruscant Security as a necessary formality to report Anakin missing. Coruscant was a large metropolis, and he knew one lost boy did not rank highest on their list, but it would at least put an alert on all traffic leaving the planet. Someone determined to get Anakin off of Coruscant still could, but it would keep them from using more public forms of transportation.
Then he had contacted Dex, despite the early hour, hoping the ex-smuggler's connections might provide some useful leads. The Besalisk had been understandably upset as he had arranged the set-up, and Xanatos had done his best to assure him he was not at fault, but that any help would be appreciated.
Obi-Wan had stayed near the cantina to deal with the two bodies found, and to further search the area. He also wanted to question anyone who might have seen anything and perhaps pick up a lead there. Xanatos was once again skeptical. People at that level of Coruscant tended to act like things never happened, and he couldn't blame them. He glanced over at the comlink resting on the nearby shelf; half hoping it would chime, bringing good news.
Xanatos finally forced himself to sit down and still his mind. He needed meditate, to think things through and calm himself before going to the Council – to explain his actions. He was angry at himself. He had let his guard down, passing off subtle warnings that even Obi-Wan felt through the Force as nothing. It had been out of pride – out of arrogance that he would teach his apprentice, and in one easy lesson rid himself of the frustration of Anakin's wanderings. While he was certain Anakin now understood, he hoped this lesson would not be too costly.
He soon found himself probing at the void in his head where Anakin's restless, fiery presence should be animated and alive, and swallowed hard. It hadn't been much more than an hour since their bond had gone silent, but it already seemed like it had been an eternity.
Master, how did you survive going through this so many times? Xanatos mused, as he made a mental calculation of how often they had been separated in the course of his apprenticeship, then added on the instances of Obi-Wan being kidnapped.
He picked up his cloak and started for the door. Pacing was accomplishing nothing, and his center was elusive. It was best to wake Master Yoda and get this over with. He neared the door and paused as he felt a slight glimmer at the corner of his mind. "Anakin?" he whispered audibly as he squeezed his eyes shut, settling deep into the Force to seek him out. There was a deluge of emotion, a rambling chaos of fear, anger, and frustration. Without thought, almost instinctively, he opened his shields along the bond completely to begin to calm the boy. He sensed the rush of Darkness too late and made a hasty attempt to throw his shielding back up, but dark tendrils had already gained a foothold and penetrated his mind, like fingers raking through his consciousness with icy pain. He cried out before clutching his head and collapsing to the floor.
"What did you do to him?" Anakin spat out, for the first time realizing that the Sith had gotten behind his shields, and that was the Darkness threatening to overwhelm his mind.
"I sent a message – one he will understand – one that will keep him from interfering for a time."
Anakin rose to his feet, jaw set in determination, while the Sith lord chuckled with amusement at the raw anger emanating from the boy.
"And what do you think you can do? You couldn't even keep me from using your own mind to wound your mentor. You have no idea the power the Dark side holds, my young friend."
He reached out a withered, pale hand directing it around the room and the doors slid shut in sequence. The three captors remaining all raised blasters in defense. Each weapon simultaneously flew from their hands, skittering across the floor then the man nearest Anakin suddenly clutched at his throat, falling forward as he began to claw at the invisible grip strangling the life from his body.
"Stop," Anakin cried out. "You're killing him."
His protests did little as a surge in the Force sent the body flying across, slamming into the wall with a thud before sliding limply to the ground, devoid of life. Anakin felt a shiver run down his spine.
The two remaining men had made their way to one of the doors and were desperately trying to figure out the locking mechanism. The Sith sent one flailing into the wall before turning his attention to the other.
Anakin huddled in shock, sensing the life fading away from the second man, and his eyes lifted up to meet the terror choked eyes of the third. There was something he could do. He reached out with his own shaky grasp on the Force and opened the lock on the door nearest the remaining man, urging him with his eyes to run. The man had almost made it to the door, when Anakin sensed another powerful surge in the Force, like a charge building. He ran with the intent of shoving the last victim away, and was hit by bolts of pale blue lightening flowing from the Sith's fingertips. Hot currents of electricity surged through his nervous system and he cried out as he collapsed to the floor in a boneless heap. The lightening stopped and he looked up to see smoke rising from his own body and a scattering of holes burned into his tunics. He fell back limply to the ground, vaguely aware of an igniting saber and the fleeting life force of the final victim.
"A foolish move, but bold. Rest now. We will continue your education later." The Sith leaned over him and an icy touch to his forehead sent him to unconsciousness.
Impatient tapping at the door drew Ben from a peaceful sleep, but not enough to completely wake him. He pushed the sound from his mind, pulling blankets up over his head.
/Padawan!/
He jumped up looking around for the voice, until he realized that the word had been spoken directly into his thoughts. He glanced at the time, eyes widening at the early hour and stumbled to the door, tripping over the boxes he had packed the previous night.
He opened the door and Obi-Wan quickly entered the room. While carrying himself with his usual poise and composure, the concern set in blue-gray depths was apparent.
"Master?" Ben asked hesitantly. "What's wrong?"
"Sorry for the early hour, Ben." The Jedi knight ran his hand through long ginger locks before turning his attention to his new apprentice. "Anakin has been kidnapped. And I just returned to the Temple to find Xanatos unconscious in his quarters. He is in the healers' ward now, but they don't know what's wrong yet. I don't know what is happening, but I believe the two incidents are related."
Ben tried to absorb the information, amazed at how calmly Obi-Wan had relayed it to him, as though he were simply announcing what they were going to eat for morning meal.
Obi-Wan saw the shock register in the boy's eyes and kneeled down, clutching Ben's shoulders. "I know this is a lot to take in, Padawan."
"What are we going to do about it?" Ben asked.
"I need to wake Master Yoda." Though, something told him Master Yoda was already awake and waiting for him. "Then we need to start pulling the information we have. Hopefully by then, the healers will have some idea what is wrong with Xan …" he trailed off as Ben touched his mind.
"Perhaps I should go sit with Master Marojni in case he wakes up or they learn something. I can start looking at the information you have while you speak with Master Yoda."
"That's good, Padawan." He smiled warmly. "Thank you."
A warm, familiar stroke to his mind through the Force drew Xanatos completely to consciousness while the pungent, harsh chemical smell of sterile air let him know he was in his least favorite place – the healers' ward. And, blinding pain in his head let him know he was still alive. He felt a comforting, firm squeeze to his hand and struggled to lift long lashed eyelids, allowing the room to swim into focus.
"Master?" he mumbled.
"Yes, Xan. Yes, Padawan. I'm here." He hadn't needed to ask. Qui-Gon was always there.
"Head hurts," he whispered.
"I know." Qui-Gon smiled at his apprentice's grumblings, just happy to have him safely back. "You have quite a concussion."
Xanatos looked up into his mentor's face. Strands of hair escaped from where it was tied back and the edges of his beard were scraggly. Dark circles rested under his eyes, suggesting multiple sleepless nights.
"How long have I been out?" Xanatos asked.
"Three days." Qui-Gon straightened the fifteen-year-old's braid, pulling it from where it was tangled behind his ear. "You gave me quite a scare."
"I'm so tired." He began to close his eyes again and snuggle back into the pillow, content in the knowledge that his master was about to tell him he needed rest.
"You can't rest right now, Xan. You have to get up."
"Master?"
"Anakin needs you."
A warm, familiar stroke to his mind through the Force drew Xanatos completely to consciousness while the pungent, harsh chemical smell of sterile air let him know he was in his least favorite place – the healers' ward. And, blinding pain in his head let him know he was still alive. He felt a comforting, firm squeeze to his hand and struggled to lift long lashed eyelids, allowing the room to swim into focus.
"Master?" he mumbled.
The room was empty.